The Osceola times., 1887-05-07
MAGNETIC DICE IARLk.
A Piece OF Furniture on which tho Owu
ers Won Thousands Of Dollars.

fiece OF Furniture ON which tho Own.
ers Won Thousands OF Dollars.
For ten years past there has stood in tho
corner Of the billiard room OF the princi-
pal hotel in this town a rickety old
card-table, writes a Hanford Call corre-
spondent Its worthlessness caused it 70
remain in the place during the changes of
the hotels many proprietorships. IL was
q round table covered with an old gray
army blanket, tackled TO the edge with q
long strip OF leather. At regular dis
tances were four pieces Of tin clumsily
nailed down for the players TO lay their
lighted cigars on. In late years its four
rudely.made legs were so shalzy that no
one cared to teeter his chips on the table,
and IL was chiefly used by the guests
to throw their coats and hats on
when they went to their meals. For u
long time the present proprietor always
said when he looked at the table that he
''intended to clear it out tomorrow and
get a new one,n but somehow this was
not done until lately; perhaps then only
because people began TO tear their coats
on the nails, and their impromptu ro-
marks on the subject tended TO compli-
cate matters.
1t was after a double barrel explosion
OF this kind the other day that the pro-
prietor told his bartender to cut the cover
OF the table and make kindling wood OF
the cussed thing. The bartender whipped
out his knife and began TO carve the blan-
ket. He had just made one savage slash
and had started n second when his knife
struck against something metallic. He
then ripped the cover of and found
steel plate nine inches long and
six inches wide, which was set
flush into tho table. The plate was
about foot from the edge and pierced
with dozen holes. Every one wondered
what 1t was for, and an old townsmau re-
membered that the table had been brought
there from Virginia City years ago, and
presumed 1t was used Ia tao early days 20
play some kind Of cribbage. When the
table began to be chopped up light was
thrown on the character of the table, for
underneath the top, concealed on little
shelf by one OF the legs, were u small
battery, coils of wire, and some compli-
Gated ma chinery connected with one OF
the tin plates. These were covered with
rust and dust.
Then the old townsman woke up and re-
mem bered seeing in days gone by m an
named Pick Davis WIN 5000 at dice on
that very table from cattle man, in about
nlteen SECONDS, Desldes PICKING
up sundry thousands and hun.
drcds at other times from
those who were gamblingly inclined Two
drinks also caused the old townsman to
suddenly recollect that Davis came down
to Muscal Slough--as Hanford was called
then-from Virginia City with big rep
utation as "dip chuckler," and the boys
came in from far and near to buck him.
1t was said that Davis had won over $780,.
900 at dice in the mines, where he was
called "Lucky Pick" As he was not
found out in his play ho is alive to-day,
but he has changed his name and owns q
big ranch in the San Joaquin valley. So
It is seen that one way 10 wealth and re-
spectablity has been for "sure thing
man." IN tho discovery of magnetic out
fit to do up people with dice, and not TO
get caught because he got in his work
single handed.